Zimbabwe-India venture to build 30 MW hydro-power plant

ZIMBABWE’S state-owned power producer has picked a local company and two Indian firms to build a US$128 million hydro-power plant to generate 30 megawatts of electricity, an official said on Tuesday.

The Southern African nation last year experienced crippling power cuts but supplies have since improved from January after Zimbabwe resorted to imports from South Africa and Mozambique.

Noah Gwariro, the chief executive Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) said Intratrek Zimbabwe and its partners Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd and Angelique International Ltd would build the Gairezi power station to the east of the country. The plant is expected to take 30 months to complete.

“The project will start as soon as we reach financial closure. We expect the money to come from Afreximbank,” Gwariro told Reuters, referring to Africa Export and Import Bank.

China’s Sino Hydro since 2014 launched a 300 MW extension of Kariba hydro plant in 2014 and will also build an extra 600 MW at the Hwange coal-fired plant.

Power shortages in Zimbabwe have been blamed for keeping away potential investors in an economy expected to expand by 2,7% this year after a 1,5% growth last year.-Reuters